Ninety years ago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act , which created the program that now sends monthly benefit checks to millions of Americans, including retirees, disabled individuals and families.

But by the time the program celebrates its centennial, benefits may not look the same as today's Social Security payments.

The reason: Social Security's trust funds, which the program relies on to help pay benefits, are facing a looming shortfall.

Starting in 2033 — two years before its 100th anniversary — the program may only be able to pay 77% of scheduled benefits for retirees, their families and survivors, Social Security's trustees projected in an annual report released in June.

However, should those funds be combined with Social Security's trus

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